


A Home in a World of Cages and Ruins

by eviternalism



Series: A Court of Mist and Fury from Rhys's perspective [2]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, POV Rhysand (ACoTaR)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-30 13:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12110133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eviternalism/pseuds/eviternalism
Summary: The first time Rhysand ever held his mate's hand was the day he took her to his home, to Velaris and his family.Chapter 14 from Rhysand's perspective, and then some.





	A Home in a World of Cages and Ruins

**Author's Note:**

> So I guess this is a series now.

When Feyre emerged from her quarters after more than the ten minutes we agreed on, I nonchalantly noted, “That was fifteen minutes.” She promptly decided to ignore the remark.

Despite how it sounded, the reason why I kept count had nothing to do with being in any sort of rush. I extended my hand towards her and watched as her delicate hand slipped into mine.

I schooled my expression into one of concentration despite the fact winnowing barely required much effort. In truth, I couldn’t help but admire how her slender fingers wrapped around mine and I allowed my eyes to trace the whorls of inky black that I had intricately drawn onto her skin. A reminder of our bond, whether she knew it or not.

It occurred to me that I had never held her hand, not like this anyway. Maybe I was a fool to make such a big deal out of it, I  _had_  kissed her after all. But this was different. This wasn’t forced, this was her own decision to trust me.

When I lifted my gaze to look at her, I found the breathtaking image of my mate standing in my home. She stepped away from me and I watched as she took in every detail of the main entrance, with something akin to surprise and curiosity in her eyes.

“Welcome to my home.” I managed to say, still awed by the realization that she truly was here. This was one of those many things I hadn’t allowed myself to consider, and yet here she was.

Something shifted in her eyes as she looked across to the main door and whatever little glimmer of hope in me I had wavered. At first, I wondered if she was looking for an escape, but I felt no sense of urgency through the bond.

“What is this place?” She asked, her voice soft in the comfortable silence of the house.

I crossed my arms as I leaned against the oak walls of the foyer. “This is my house,” I explained, “Well, I have two homes in the city. One is for more…official business, but this is only for me and my family.”

She aimed a glance down the hall, possibly in search for the aforementioned family. “Nuala and Cerridwen are here,” I clarified, “But other than that, it’ll just be the two of us.”

She tensed at that and I tried my best not to take it personally. I reminded myself of the ordeal she had just gone through in the Spring Court, how Tamlin had caged her in.

I was about to remind her that she was a guest in my home and that she could leave if she wished, when I heard Cassian at the door.

“Hurry up, you lazy ass,” Cassian drawled from beyond the foyer.

“Two things, Feyre darling,” I began.

Azriel, who has always been the ‘nice’ one, wisely advised against Cassian’s wild pounding on the door, “If you’re going to pick a fight with him, do it after breakfast.”

“I wasn’t the one who was hauled out of bed just now to fly down here,”Cassian retorted before muttering: “ _Busybody_.”

It seemed like a fitting first impression for Feyre to have of the two. The thought caused a smile to tug at the corners of my mouth.

I continued, “One, no one– _no one_ –but Mor and I are able to winnow directly into this house. It is warded, shielded, and then warded some more. Only those I wish–and  _you_  wish–may enter. Velaris’s walls are well protected and have not been breached in five thousand years. No one with ill intent enters this city unless I allow it. So go where you wish, do what you wish, and see who you wish. Those two in the antechamber” I aimed a pointed look down the hall to my friends, “might not be on that list of people you should bother knowing, if they keep banging on the door like children.”

Cassian pounded at the door again. “You know we can hear you, prick.”  _Good_. That was the point.

“ _Secondly_ ,” I went on, “in regard to the two bastards at my door, it’s up to you whether you want to meet them now, or head upstairs like a wise person, take a nap since you’re still looking a little peaky, and then change into city-appropriate clothing while I beat the hell out of one of them for talking to his High Lord like that.”

Feyre studied me, her eyes subtly caressing the features of my face. But soon her thoughts were elsewhere and I heard echoes of the word  _home_  down the bond, but… I knew she was thinking about the Spring Court. I knew then that she still needed time to settle her thoughts, so it was barely a surprise when she said, “Just come get me when they’re gone.”

Mor joined Cassian and Az at the door. “You Illyrians are worse than cats yowling to be let in the back door,” She tried the doorknob to no avail and sighed, “Really, Rhysand? You locked us out?”

Feyre paused for a second, then stepped away from me and took off to the staircase, where Nuala and Cerridwen stood. I could feel the heaviness of the thoughts clouding her mind and realized it was best to let her go.

When I felt Amren’s presence at the door, I began to make my way toward it. Upon opening the main entrance, I couldn’t help but smirk at the image; Mor couldn’t have been more right in her previous comparison of the Inner Court and yowling cats.

Cassian sneered at the smirk, “Welcome home, bastard.” He then stepped past me.

Azriel breezed past me right after, offering a simple, “I sensed you were back. Mor filled me in, but I–”

“Send your dogs out in the yard to play, Rhysand.” Amren cut in, moving past both Illyrians, “You and I have matters to discuss.”

“As do I,” Azriel stated, unamused.

“We were here first.” Cassian countered. “Wait your turn, Tiny Ancient One.”

Amren shot him one of her looks, along with a snarl, and Cassian tried his best not to falter under that cold gaze of hers. Mor rolled her eyes as she pushed past everyone, she shut the door behind her with her magic and yawned.

“Why is everyone here so  _early_?” Mor questioned as she made herself comfortable with everyone else in the sitting room, “I thought we were meeting tonight at the House.”

The Illyrians and Amren were still shooting daggers at one each other through their eyes. Cassian opened his mouth to growl something but I beat him to it, “Trust me, there’s no party. Only a massacre, if Cassian doesn’t shut his mouth.”

“We’re hungry,” The commander of my armies whined, “Feed us.  _Someone_  told me there’d be breakfast.”

Amren hissed, “Pathetic. You idiots are pathetic.” But she had the smallest trace of a smile on her lips.

“We know that's true,” Mor said before turning to me, “but  _is_  there food?”

The Illyrians and Mor had their eyes trained on me, and I gave them a tired sigh before snapping my fingers, summoning small platters of breakfast food on the coffee table. They immediately dug in.

Amren and I shared a look before stepping away to discuss more pressing matters.

 

* * *

 

After having heard Amren’s final report on the newest attack in the temple of Cesere, I found myself frustrated at the possibility of more internal conflicts and even more so at the possibility of Hybern having any involvement in it.

It was a grim reminder that there was still much to resolve, even on a day that started out so hopeful thanks to Feyre darling.

Azriel cleared his throat from across the room, still waiting for his turn.

“Is that all?” I asked my second in command.

“For now,” She stated and sauntered off. Upon reaching Azriel’s spot in the doorway, she motioned at me, “All yours.”

Azriel’s shadows were oddly still, calculative. When he reached me, his voice had an edge of frustration, “I just lost a spy in the Spring Court.”

I frowned. “Were they intercepted?”

“No.” He said, his voice grim. “It was one of the wraiths. Their kind has become loyal to Tamlin’s bride and when my spy heard our court stole her away, she decided to cut off our connections.”

I stood still, realizing Azriel was angry. With me, for once.

“I can't do my job if you keep things from me,” Azriel stated with finality, “I know you went through hell and back under the Mountain and we all decided to give you time to tell us when you were ready, but I need to understand what is your connection with Feyre Archeron and  _why_  you decided to bring her to Velaris.”

Stealthily, I sound-proofed the room we were in. Then, I faced the Spymaster. “Surely you must know about her powers.”

He nodded.

“If my theory is correct, she can become more powerful than any High Lord, myself included. Now, you know that there’s reason to suspect Hybern may be planning another attack, so having someone like Feyre on our side could be helpful.”

Azriel silently motioned me to go on, knowing there’s more to it.

“I  _couldn’t_  let Tamlin keep her locked up and withering away. I owe her my freedom, we all do. But most importantly, she needs to learn to wield her powers and if I wanted her to trust me, I had to be honest with her.” I replied.

“We’ve made worse sacrifices,” Azriel stated. It was true. “Do you realize this is the first outsider we’ve allowed into Velaris since The War?”

I gave him a serious look. “Azriel, she was living in a cage. She had  _nowhere else_  to go.”

Azriel knew how that felt.

He sighed. “Can we trust her?”

“We can,” I assured him, “She’s one of us now.”

He registered the new information, his eyebrows knit together in thought. His shadows swirled about, no longer as tense as they used to be, but still calculative.

“She’s having dinner with us tonight at the House of Wind,” I added, “You’ll meet her then.”

He nodded and I undid the sound spell around us. Noticing, Azriel began making his way back to the sitting room before pausing at the door frame. “Are you telling me everything, Rhysand?”

“Yes.” I lied.

He nodded once more and left.

Alone, I leaned against one of the walls and briefly shut my eyes, berating myself for having lied to one of my brothers. If things were different, he would have been among the first to know about our mating bond; but I couldn’t let Feyre know yet, so I couldn’t tell the Azriel or Cassian yet.

I made my way to the sitting room, where Cassian was bickering over something with Mor. Amren was picking at her nails while making offensive remarks towards Cassian every once in a while. Azriel still seemed quietly thoughtful, though no more than usual.

Sitting there amongst my family, I certainly felt more at home. Knowing that Feyre was but a flight of stairs away, safe and at rest, was a new but welcome certainty.

“What are you smiling at?” Cassian grumbled and I realized that I was in fact, smiling. A subtle thing, but a smile no less.

“The thought that you’ll all be gone soon enough,” I replied with ease.

“If they don’t,” Mor threatened, “I’ll personally kick them out myself and make sure to make more use of that lock.”

“I meant you too, dear cousin,” I added with a smirk.

She made a vulgar gesture and Cassian howled with laughter. It was enough to even make Amren smirk while she pretended to read the papers she brought.

Grateful doesn’t even begin to explain how glad I am for the people in this house. For the Court of Dreams.

For a home in a world of cages and ruins.


End file.
